random thoughts on a Saturday morning

1. I used to read the blog of the Anchoress every day but she's gone round the bend on the immigration issue so I'm done. I hate it when people get sentimental about illegal immigration. I don't care about your Italian grandfather and how he had it tough when he first arrived in New York in the 1920s. I don't want to hear anymore about your Polish great grandmother who arrived at Ellis Island with nothing but a pierogi recipe and her her pride. Enough with the sob stories! For pity's sake, forget about grandpa in this context--- he's dead. If you really think that creating a massive new underclass is a good thing for America then argue that point but don't get all gooey on me.
   
2. Guerilla Apologetics looks like a pretty good book.
   
3. I confess, if I had a kid who was graduating from Catholic school I'd probably cheer when his or her name was called. It's not good manners but hey, after 4 years of very expensive hell even parents deserve to let off some steam. When I graduated from Immaculate Conception there was concern that parents might actually boo the Archbishop and some of us were considering refusing to shake his hand. In the end people either sat in silence or clapped briefly after he spoke and for our principal's sake we all shook his hand.
   
4. This weekend before lighting up the barbecue spare a moment to think about what Memorial day is. Millions of American men died so that we can live our soft, comfortable lives today.
   
5. Fabric softener rules! After washing my new veil in it the thing actually lies down instead of standing out like the Flying warrior nun.
   
6. Thinking about the priesthood? Check out Seminary Source.

Pitiful need for attention

I used to like Madonna when I was a teenager and then in my freshman year of college she did the Like a Prayer video. Now, I confess that at that time I was not a good Catholic-- far from it but when I saw her bumping and grinding in a Catholic church and then humping a statue of St. Martin de Porres that was a watershed moment. I stopped being a mindless fan. As for this last stunt there's nothing sadder than a middle aged woman trying to act like a rebellious teen. I'll pray for the poor old thing.

Great Catholic news!

Here's a beautiful thing. LaSalle Academy is an independent Catholic school that serves inner city kids. Tuition is just $200 a year. I owe so much to the parochial school system. It changed my life, introduced me to the Faith, and gave me a wonderful education. You can help out this great cause by sending donations.


I read about this on Amy Welborn's blog. I must say I'm disappointed in the Open Book readers. If there's a juicy sex scandal they have plenty to say but when Catholics are doing good for the Lord there's hardly a comment.

veil follies

Well, I went Ebay shopping again and bought two gorgeous chapel veils for church and they look dreadful on me. I mean they look so wrong that I would never wear them outside the house. Is there some company or some nice woman somewhere who is sewing up veils that don't look silly on a short woman? I already own one that is really beautiful but it is so long that I feel like I'm a little kid wearing my mommy's veil which is why I decided to get these new ones from Ebay.

I ususually wear a chapel cap but I dislike having to stop and pull out bobby pins to secure it. Ideally I'd like to have a nice soft veil that won't stand up like its been starched or fly away when I move. I want something that doesn't look dumb on a 5 foot tall woman.
Oh well. Now I need to find my digital camera so I can sell the two veils I bought this weekend because I can't return the darn things.

In reparation for blasphemy....

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and for the sins of the whole world.

Pardon and Peace

In 1946, Fr. Alfred Wilson wrote a splendid book on the sacrament of Confession called Pardon and Peace. The folks at Roman Catholic Books have republished it and it's really a wonderful book. If you suffer from scruples or you work yourself up into a nervous fit before going to confession or if you fret because you have "nothing to confess" sit down and read this book.

While we were sleeping

I rarely read Pat Buchanan anymore because he has this weird anti-Jew streak but I have to agree with him on this. While we were sleeping something really bad happened to this country. Maybe it started in 1973, when the devil went down to the Supreme Court and gave us Roe v. Wade as the law of the land. Maybe it started when Margaret Sanger stood up and called for birth control to "manage" human weeds. Maybe it started with Clarence Darrow.

I had no idea that DVC was the best selling book of the 21rst century and sadly, it looks like the movie is doing great business. In six months the movie itself will have been forgotten and the bookstores will disassemble those huge DVC displays. America is like that. We go from one fad to another but the fact that it made so much money means something; something horribly sad.

This seemed a bit off

The Vatican has put the hammer down on Fr. Marciel of the Legionaires of Christ. I haven't follwed this case but it struck me as odd that it all seemed so vauge.

"Complaints of sexual abuse first surfaced in the late 1990s, when nine former members of the Legionaries filed a canonical complaint against Maciel with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, alleging that they had been abused by Maciel as seminarians and young priests. Those acts, according to the accusers, dated to a period from 1943 to the early 1960s."


This doesn't make complete sense and I'm supposing that all the disgusting details have not been made public. If you are a seminarian (not a minor seminarian, that's just a kid) or a young priest and you're having sex with your superior that's not a molestation that's an affair. This sounds like a prowling homosexual rather than a child moleser and how do you prove or disprove that something sexual happened in 1943? Still, if Marciel was soliciting sex way back then he has no business being the head of the Legionaires today.

Randy Engel's book

"The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict on the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clergy who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds. Instead of nourishing those committed to their care, they rend and devour them brutally. Instead of leading their people to God, they drag Christian souls into hell in their train. Instead of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, they are its innocuous poison and its murky darkness. When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people, and is visiting His most dreadful anger upon them. That is why He cries unceasingly to Christians, ‘Return, O ye revolting children... and I will give you pastors according to My own heart’ [Jer. 3:12-15]. Thus, irregularities in the lives of priests constitute a scourge visited upon the people in consequence of sin."
----St. John Eudes


When this book comes out a lot of people are going to be sick.


St. John Eudes, pray for us!

How'd you like to see this prayer in your church bulletin?

"AS I AM LORD"

Because I am obnoxious, forgive me Lord.
Because I am dishonest, forgive me Lord.
Because I am egotistical, forgive me Lord.
Because I am undisciplined, forgive me Lord.
Because I am weak, forgive me Lord.
Because I am impure, forgive me Lord.
Because I am arrogant, forgive me Lord.
Because I am self-centered, forgive me Lord,
Because I am pompous, forgive me Lord.
Because I am insincere, forgive me Lord.
Because I am unchaste, forgive me Lord.
Because I am grasping, forgive me Lord.
Because I am judgmental, forgive me Lord.
Because I am impatient, forgive me Lord.
Because I am shallow, forgive me Lord.
Because I am inconsistent, forgive me Lord.
Because I am unfaithful, forgive me Lord.
Because I am immoral, forgive me Lord.
Because I am ungrateful, forgive me Lord.
Because I am disobedient, forgive me Lord.
Because I am selfish, forgive me Lord.
Because I am lukewarm, forgive me Lord.
Because I am slothful, forgive me Lord.
Because I am unloving, forgive me Lord.
Because I am uncommitted, forgive me Lord.
Because I am sinful, forgive me Lord.
Because I am loved by You, thank you Lord!

(Authored by Father Raymond, a Pavlik Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, N.J.)

Prayers for my mother, mother in law and sister in law

PRAYER TO THE PASSION AND WOUNDS OF JESUS

A Very powerful Prayer To Obtain A Favor
O great passion! O deep Wounds! O Blood shed in abundance! O meekness! O God of meekness, O cruel death, have mercy on me and grant my request if it be for my salvation.


Promises Of Our Lord

"I will grant all that shall be asked of Me through the invocation of my Holy Wounds."
"With my Wounds and my Divine Heart you can obtain all."
---------
(State your prayer request)

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ to heal those of our souls." ( 300 days indulgence each time this prayer is said.)
"My Jesus, pardon and mercy, by the merits of Thy Holy Wounds." (300 days indulgence each time this prayer is said.)

(With ecclesiastical approval)

Prayer is from the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 745 St. John's Place, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216

DC gets a new archbishop

No, I’m not happy about Bishop Wuerl, especially after reading this but at least Cardinal McCarrick is leaving. The mighty American Papist has a fantastic roundup of links about the new leader of my diocese. Judging by what I've been reading Wuerl is just going to be McCarrick lite.

Chanting Monks

I was listening to EWTN radio last night and they played a CD by the Clear Creek Monks. Their voices are amazing. Check it out.

http://www.clearcreekmonks.org/

She's never let me down

Today is my dear patron's day. She looks after the seriously mentally ill, depressed people, people with anxiety, runaways, incest victims and the grace of family happiness.

A prayer in reparation for blasphemy

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore you profoundly. I offer you the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. Through the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

Amen

Little Flower, pray for us

This is a photo of St. Therese taken right after her death. Little did her sisters know that Therese's story wasn't over. Her mission was just begining.


St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, patroness of black missions and of sick people please pray for my mother in law who is sick in body and for this country which is sick to the soul.

Shabby treatment for a good priest

Fr. Altier has been assigned to a nursing home. On one hand I'm happy for the patients. The end of life is a precious time and these people need all the grace, mercy and encouragement they can get. I've read Father's homilies and great things can come out of this but on the other hand, let's face it; we all know that nursing homes, hospitals and prisons are the dog house assignments. Priests typically get sent there as a punishment or because they aren't cutting the mustard in the parishes.

Fr. Altier was cast out of his parish because he didn't like the diocese sponsored sex ed program. Child abusers got to stay in their parishes and continued to abuse kids for years. Heretics are happily preaching filth from their pulpits. There are at least two well known priests who are allowed to go traipsing about the country spouting non Catholic doctrine. This is all apparently okay. So somebody explain to me why a good priest has been treated in such a shabby way.

I can't figure out the point

Detraction : the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which that other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer-- The Catholic Encyclopedia



I just read a really disturbing article in Culture Wars. I won't link to it because I find it so distasteful. Normally I wouldn't go near that magazine but the article was in a link from another blog and thinking I was going to see a nice little puff piece I started reading. Anyway, IF what was said in the article is true then I'm disappointed. However, even if the accusations are true dang it-- there are innocent kids involved; two of whom are under the age of 6. I hope the author of this thing had a lawyer check it first because at least two items mentioned seem suspect to me.

And what, pray tell was the point of this article? The subject and her husband are not the pope or a pair of bishops. They and their work are unknown to most American Catholics. Why tell all this now? The whole article seemed like the author wanted to stir the pot just for the hell of it.

Ordination day

I was watching EWTN today and saw the ordination Mass from St. Peters. 15 young men gave their lives to God. May the Lord bless and protect them.

People magazine doesn't know what beauty is

I saw People magazine at the grocery store and noticed that they have their annual most beautiful people issue out. Angelina Jolie was #1 and on the cover. Yuck. Angelina Jolie has a gorgeous face and body but she aint beautiful.

Beautiful is Mother Teresa. Beautiful is Pope Benedict. Beautiful is the little old woman who comes to the 8 AM Mass at St. Matthews everyday. Beautiful, is Fr. Theoden hobbling towards the altar with a radiant look on his face. Beautiful is Fr. Pablo Straub doing a mission. Beautiful is my Mama who worked two jobs to keep me in Immaculate Conception Academy after my father died. Beautiful is my friend Rani Lou who has six children and who is willing to take as many God wants her to have. Look beyond the face and body if you want to see beauty.

random thoughts for a Thursday night

1. 600 people came to the Tridentine Mass at St. Lawrence. Praise the Lord!
   
   
   
2. When I look at what 40 years of welfare have done for the black family I could almost weep. Oh for a latter day Dagger John.
   
   
3. Enough with the Hamlet routine, Rod .
   
   
4. I made a decision years ago to dress with modesty. That doesn't mean plainness. No-one would mistake me for an Old Order Mennonite or an Amish woman. I'm decently covered but I don’t buy anything that doesn't look good or that makes my husband say "ugh". Recently there was a huge conversation-- well it was really a shark feeding frenzy--- about modest women in blogville. Modest women were largely mocked and called tacky. That's a shame. There's a very modest, very plainly dressed woman at my back up church. I call her Hester (no, that's not her name). She's ignored by the more fashionable ladies but I've noticed something. Hester's husband looks at her like she's Grace Kelly. Her children are sweet and beautifully mannered and she radiates serenity. Hester may not own a mini skirt or Versace dress and her haircut looks like it's from the 70s but she's apparently happy and is a fine example to her daughters and the other kids at church and that's no small thing.
   
   
5. Why are Catholics upset about the anti-Catholic incidents at Baylor University? It's a Baptist school, people. My daddy, may he rest in peace, was a Baptist and he was okay with me going to Catholic schools and being a de facto Catholic but when I wanted to get baptized he flipped out. Mama and I had to do it on the sly. It was the same deal with my confirmation. Instead of worrying about Baylor or Oral Roberts U. more of us need to be pissing fire about what's going on at Notre Dame.
   
   
6. After reading this blog I'm always so thankful for my parish.
   
   
7. Digital Hairshirt has become one of my favorite blogs.
   
   
8. I haven't said anything about the DaVinci Code movie or book because frankly, I think if anyone is so stupid as to believe this warmed over blasphemy then they are invincibly ignorant and nothing I could say would change anything. Plus, as Fr. Corapi once said I just don't contend with people anymore. I'm trying to be like St. John who once got up and left his tub because he heard that a well known heretic had just walked into the hot springs bath house. St. John did yell to everyone else to leave but he also didn't fight with the man because he knew the dude was so far gone that he wouldn't listen to another human being. I also don't want to talk about DVC because my natural inclination is closer to St. Nicholas who once walked up to the heretic Arius and decked him. Now That's a Santa Claus I can really love.